The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
A very good book. Bod is an interesting character, and his guardians and teachers are fun and funny. I'm pretty sure nothing Gaiman writes can ever be boring, and this one is no exception. For the record, I'm absolutely over the moon that a book I feel great about recommending to my kids, won the Newbery medal. An author I know, and a book I was going to read anyway, won. Imagine that. The only reason there are not five stars on this review, is that I felt the story was too....well....easy, i guess is the best way to describe it. I never questioned that everything would be fine, that it would all work out in the end. It was missing a little suspense, but perhaps that's a symptom of a story based on a classic novel. Anyway, read this book, and recommend it to lots of kids. This year, we've got a winner we can stand behind, at least I can. If you don't like dead people, you'll have to wait another year.


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Shamlessly "Borrowing"

My friend Christina was kind enough to visit with us a few weekends back, and she took some great shots of dog and bug. As I am both too busy, and too boneheaded to take good pictures on my own, I'm "borrowing" hers. Check them out.

A Wild Night

The bug enjoyed a new experience today. (I mean besides being utterly spoiled by her Nona and Papa which is in no way new) We enjoyed Sunday Dinner at Great Grandma's house before we visited Wild Nights. They have blocked off a large section of the lodge with black fabric so you are walking through a cave. You can push buttons to see different underground animals, check out the soil strata, crawl through an ant tunnel (which the bug passed on) and view a whole panorama of nightime woods, complete with stuffed local wildlife. This is a park exhibit, not a zoo, so, apart from a few fish and reptiles, nothing was alive, but it was all very interested and kept the bug's attention pretty well. (Although I don't know how often her Papa snuck her a candy heart, so that could have been the source of her satisfaction.) Our little almost-three year old is showing signs of leaving toddlerhood behind. She is, at times, rational, and able to follow simple direction. At other times, I'm sure she is being possessed by a demon. We have our good days, and our bad days. Today was a pretty good one. Tomorrow may prove to be completely different.

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
My Yarn Harlot spree continues. I really enjoyed the letters scattered through this book, and I also continue to like her anecdotes about knitting, but this one missed the mark slightly. The whole "travel" concept was a little contrived. It's still wonderfully readable, but I like her other books and blog so much, I'd have loved more of the same. This one tried to be different. I've got high hopes for the last one, which is now in my possession. Once it's read and reviewed I promise to stop reading about knitting and knit for awhile.


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Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
So, I don't need to tell you how good this book is, you've probably read it. The only thing I can really add is my perspective. When I put down the book, all I wanted to do, was go find my two-year-old daughter, and teach her to scream. Scream till the windows crack and ears bleed. I don't ever want to tell her to be quite again. Go ahead and scream kid. Loud and long and whenever you think you should. I promise to hear you.


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At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Okay, Okay, I'm on a definite binge here with the yarn harlot, but it's fun!


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Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I think it's probably obvious that I love the Yarn Harlot's books, but this one is the one I would buy. Along with the funny stories about her own knitting adventures, it also contains really useful basic patterns, information and definitions that new knitters would appreciate.


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Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just like reading her blog, which I also adore.




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